Why is a dangerous guy like him even on social media? Hmm?
I sigh again.
I hear Tate talking to Mac. “You’ll have to question her, get everything out of her you can. I need to know what the bloody hell’s going on, Mac.”
I’m an arse for a friend. I don’t even deserve a friend like her.
Information moves quicker than I expect, and before we’ve even left, the worst is confirmed in a brutal string of texts from Islan, her anger and hurt apparent even through the screen.
Islan:What did you tell Tate??
I don’t respond.
Islan:Fran, what did you SAY?
Islan:Did you tell him everything? I’ll never share anything with you again. I knew I couldn’t trust you, I knew it!!
I swipe a tear from my cheek.
Islan:Now I’ve got my brothers asking questions, and you know what that means.
I want to tell her I didn’t tell them anything. But how could I? That would be a lie. And over here, on this newly turned leaf, I will not lie.
Never. Again.
Islan:You’re a bloody fucking liar. I thought I could trust you. Liar!! All you care about is yourself!
She finishes off with a litany of profanity and several middle-finger emojis. I close my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose, my head aching with the effort of not crying. I can’t cry, not now, not when the entire Clan is depending on us to make everything right.
“I fucked everything up,” I say to Tate, as he locks the final window and turns to me. He takes my phone out of my hands and wordlessly reads the texts. He sighs.
“You haven’t. This time, you did the right thing, Fran. She’s angry, but she’ll bloody get over it, I promise. And furthermore, lassie, you didn’t fuck everything up. You caused a few wrinkles, which you’re going to help calm. But this runs much deeper than anything you’re responsible for.”
I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat.
“Thanks for that, Tate,” I whisper.
He winks. “You can thank me later in the hotel room.”
It eases a tiny bit of the crushing weight on my chest. Just a little.
“She’ll forgive you, love,” he says. “I promise.”
She may, but I’ll never forgive myself.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Tate
I forcemyself to focus on what we need to do, the safety of the Clan of paramount importance. But though my mind tells me one thing, I’m still lingering with her, still feel her in my arms.
“How’s your head?” I ask her, as if talking about normal, pragmatic things can pull me out of my stupor. I’d dreamed of taking her. Claiming her. Making her mine, in every possible way. And it was everything I hoped for and more.
Everything.
But we have important work to do, for the safety of my Clan, the safety of all of us.
She nods. “So much better. I thank you for the orgasmic healing.”
